November 25, 1851 (see O i) e O
Open hive
I have this day brought my conception of my new plan of a hive to what promises great practical
results. [crossed out: white] My open hive [crossed out: gives] offers the greatest advantages to three classes of persons. 
1. The scientific apiarian and whose great object is to investigate the habits of the bee. He has a
hive where in a few minutes every comb may be examined. Huber's hive (to say nothing of its cut)
cannot be used without injury the bees, and the work of [crossed out: examining] removing the frames for inspection is
tedious and difficult. The common observation hive extension, and so very difficult hive
in which to preserve the bees over winter. In my hive he may with the greatest ease perform all the
various experiments necessary to arrive at a more accurate knowledge of the habits of the honeybee. 
2. The practical apiarian who wishes for a profit to manage his bees on an improved
and scientific system, finds in the use of this hive the means of making artificial
swarms rearing artificial Queens, supplying destitute hives with honey or brood. 
Attaining honey for sale in the market for immediate consumption or for in boxes
or tumblers just as may be most profitable, protecting his hives against the
moth, and in [illegible] of performing any operation they may be desired in the apiary. 
3. The hive will suit the farmer who manages in the old fashioned way, as
he can get honey at any time, etc. 
September 10th, 1852. Where the bees can be protected from the weather and from
the sun, they may be [crossed out: hived] kept (perhaps only for experimental
purposes) in the frames without any cover, the frames being properly suspended
may when the bees are first hived be protected by a cover which in the course of a
week may be removed. Of course this plan would answer only in warm weather. 
November 22nd, 1851. The cover may be kept a few inches from the frames, in this way the
bees would I think confine themselves to the frames as long as they had room,
the supports for the comb might be of the very simplest construction, say four parts on
to which front and back rabbeted pieces are nailed. Now let the box have pieces of
wire half an inch high nailed in its corners and it may be taken off and put on without
injuring the bees, it might be kept off the most of the time in warm weather when the hives
are under cover. Such a hive for experimental purposes would be admirable, the comb might
be slid out from the sides, and the hive be made more than one story high. The outside cover
for warm weather might be of paste board, another cover of the same kind with [illegible] top would admit of
[illegible] for winter, or the paste board cover might be double with cotton between, this very light and warm. 



